The Lost Girl
The Lost Girl is an audio book produced by Big Finish Productions . It was released in June 2011. Back cover "Hope is His cruellest torment." Josette Du Pres Collins gambled her soul, and lost it, in an ill-conceived bid to destroy her rival Angelique. Now the Dark Lord has sent his emissary to bring Josette to her place in Hell. Only a last-minute intervention can give her a final chance at redemption. But, as Josette struggles to win back her soul, she realizes that her guide's life, and soul, are inexorably intertwined with her own. And so, as the sands of time flow, Josette begins her final journey... Synopsis Teaser : The thirst for revenge twists and corrupts even the most innocent of souls. It prays upon the mind with such veracity that the unsuspecting will seek to quench this thirst by drawing from the well of despair. They drink deeply and are consumed. From here the soul is lead on to the dark path, a place beyond life and death, a path from which there is no return. Night. Josette Collins is unsure about where she is and how she got there. She starts to run and recalls the trial with Angelique. She states that she will not jump again. Theme : My name is Josette DuPres. I was born in the year of our Lord 1774. I died in 1795, this is story of my final journey. This is how I came to be here. Widows' Hill. Josette stands on the very spot she had jumped to her death from. She turns around and is startled by a woman standing before her. The woman is skeletal, exuding an ethereal cold beauty, her hair is long and white and her skin is drained and grey. The woman moves to stand with her back at the very edge of the cliff; she invites Josette to follow her. Much to Josette’s shock, the woman steps backwards and disappears over the cliff. Josette goes to look over the cliff edge and sees no body, no rocks, and no ocean. Josette is now standing in darkness, with nothing solid to hold on to. The woman informs Josette that the Dark Lord is coming to collect his payment. Josette doesn’t remember. The woman presents Josette with a transcript from the trial in order to remind her. She tells Josette that she is her guide. A clock chimes 3 o’clock. The guide tells Josette that she has one hour to reclaim her soul from the Dark Lord. Josette sees a vision of herself sitting in the Collinsport Inn wrapped in Jeremiah’s arms. She laments over the spell that Angelique cast over them forcing her to love Jeremiah instead of Barnabas. At this moment the vision begins to swirl, scenes flash in front of Josette’s eyes, various times, places and people all with the one constant of Jeremiah. The woman reminds Josette that Jeremiah was willing to watch over her for eternity, and she went and threw his love away. The vision changes. Josette and her guide observe the back-streets of Collinsport near a saloon. A man is struggles with a woman, he hits her in face and she falls. He then tears at her dress in an attempt to rip it off her. The man stops; deciding it too risky to continue, he stands steering down at her, finally kicking hard in the ribs before running off. Josette realizes that it was her guide in the alley. The guide says she would have done anything to be loved by just one person. Josette says she had the love of two good men and that her actions led them all to their deaths. The woman announces that Josette has passed this part of the test. Standing in a graveyard, Josette observes her own headstone. Her aunt, Countess Natalie DuPres arrives to place flowers on Josette's grave. Josette’s guide says that Natalie blamed herself for Josette’s death. Josette wishes that if she could do it all over she would take away everyone's pain, Barnabas’, Jeremiah’s, her father’s, aunt Natalie’s. The guide wonders whether she would include Angelique too. Josette remains silent. The guide asks if she would change her death on Widows’ Hill. Josette says that she would be stronger; the Dark Lord could take her soul if it eased their pain. The vision begins to change. Josette stands inside a house that she is unfamiliar with. It is filled with women, many with bruises on their faces and children in ragged clothing. The guide reveals that Josette’s aunt sold her precious family jewels to pay rent on a shelter for homeless women and children. Josette realizes that her death changed her aunt for the better. She notices that a woman being tended to is that of her guide. She now decides that she would not take away Natalie’s pain. The guide announces that Josette has passed a second time. Josette sees herself standing in the drawing room at Collinwood . Barnabas moves towards her, his eyes devouring her. She is shocked feel to touch of his cold lips on hers. She observes the other Josette wearing a diamond wedding ring upon her finger and feels its weight on her own. The guide reveals that this version of Josette married Barnabas. This realization makes Josette very happy. The guide asks her to look at the guests in attendance. Her aunt and father are nowhere to be seen; neither is any of the Collins family members. Josette realizes she doesn’t know any of them. Suddenly the room fades away. Josette is now strolling arm in arm with Barnabas as they walk down a dark street. It’s raining and very late at night. The guide implores Josette to see through the other Josette’s eyes and feel how that Josette feels. She realizes something is wrong, she can’t feel Barnabas heartbeat. She can’t feel her own heart either. The expression on Barnabas’ face is so feral that she almost doesn’t recognize him. Her own face twisted with that same dark expression. In a dark alley, they encounter the man attacking a woman. Barnabas grabs the man by the throat. The woman gazes at Josette, there's a look of salvation in the woman’s eyes. Josette’s eyes are fixed on the throbbing artery in the woman’s throat. As Barnabas sinks his teeth into the man’s neck, Josette crouches down beside the woman and strokes her hair. The woman looks into Josette’s eye and she calms. Josette enjoys having power over her. Her fangs sink into the woman’s artery, blood rushing into her mouth. She drinks deeply. Once drained she pulls away, the woman’s lifeless body slipping to the ground. Barnabas is pleased, his pray drained as well. The Josette observing is disgusted. The guide discusses Angelique with Josette, how Josette was in fact the one that stole Angelique’s lover. How Josette wanted revenge against her, how she wanted to hurt her. Josette concludes that Angelique isn’t the cause of her suffering; she only has herself to blame. She offers herself to the Dark Lord. However, the Guide concludes that Josette was justified to do what she did; she had the truth on her side. That truth is all that matters. The guide reveals that she too had a sister like Angelique, who stole her life, and died because of her sisters betrayal. The guide suggests the Josette should prepare herself and to remember that hope is the Dark Lord’s cruellest torment. The vision changes. Josette finds herself in Barnabas’ house. It is dark and dilapidated filled with cobwebs and ripe with the smell of decay. She is alone. She comes to a corridor that seemly stretches into infinity, closed doors on each side. She places her ear against one of the doors and hears beautiful music playing, however she’s unable to open door. The voice of the guide tells her that room is not for her. She moves on down the hall and stops at another door, she opens it. Inside the smell of death, a hand covered in decaying flesh reaches out at her. She slams the door shut and continues in terror down the corridor. Josette’s music box can be heard coming from one of the rooms; the door opens as if of its own accord. The room is clean and beautifully kept. On the dressing table the music box is playing, she closes it and the music stops. She looks around the room and is confused; it is almost a memorial to her. She hears Barnabas voice and goes to follow him into another room identical to one she just left. A woman sits at the table dressed in Josette’s nightgown. The guide comments that the woman could be Josette’s twin. It is as if the woman is in a trance. The woman speaks and proclaims herself not to be Josette but to be Maggie Evans. Josette backs out of the room horrified that Barnabas is trying to turn that woman into her. She follows Barnabas into another room and faces herself dressed in her bridal gown, except her face is mutilated due to falling from Widow’s Hill. Another wraith appears, it is Angelique, who calls out to Barnabas much to same way as Josette and isn’t heard either. Josette realizes that Angelique loved him as much as she did. The guide waits for Josette in the void. Josette says she understands that Angelique’s torment is to never find love. Josette has no need to punish her as she has punished herself for eternity. She accepts her fate. The guide reveals how she wanted a life just like Josette’s and that her name is Emily. A clock chimes the hour is over. Emily says that Josette has given her hope and that true torment is no hope of ever seeing the light again. Josette hears voices calling to her, she turns and recognizes her aunt Natalie, her father and her mother; a bright light surrounds them. Emily reveals that Jeremiah is there too; his soul has finally found peace. She implores Josette to go to them, but Josette doesn’t want to leave Emily in the Dark Lord’s domain. They both walk into the light and disappear. All that remains is the sound of a voice: : tick… tock Theme Memorable quotes *'Emily:' I would have given anything for a man to love and protect me the way that Jeremiah loved and protected you. Dramatis personae *Kathryn Leigh Scott as Josette Collins *Rebecca Staab as Emily *Lara Parker as Angelique Collins *Nigel Fairs as The Dark Lord Background information and notes *This story follows on from Final Judgement. Clips from that story play as part of two flashback sequences experienced by Josette. *Included at the end of this release are trailers for Angelique's Descent. A scene from The Crimson Pearl is also included teasing the then upcoming story. Bloopers and continuity errors Official website *Big Finish Productions: The Lost Girl Category:Big Finish Audio Dramas